A bright June afternoon in the garden

Summer is finally here and we start to see the start of warmer and sunnier days, including the longest day of the year on June 21st.

Your garden is in full bloom with beds and borders filled with spires of colourful flowers. Wildlife is in its element during the warmer months, so make the effort to get outside and enjoy it. There are lots to stay on top of in June but you will also reap the benefits of your gardening journey from the beginning of the year.

Here’s our quick guide to your June gardening jobs.

Plants

June is the month for your flowers to shine.

Your roses should be blooming by now, filling your garden with colour and scent. Some may need some help with pests and diseases which can be eradicated with organic sprays.

Other perennials and spring bulbs may need deadheading. Once wisteria has finished blooming, cut all the long side shoots back to encourage flowering shoots for next year. Tall perennials will need staking as they continue to grow in the warmer weather, so add some plant supports for delphiniums, sweet peas and clematis to enable them to thrive.

It’s still not too late to sow some annuals directly into the soil for a summer display. Plants such as nasturtiums, borage, zinnias, poppies and calendula are easy to grow and can still be planted to create colour to admire whilst you relax in your outdoor space.

There is still time to treat yourself to some summer bedding plants, such as geraniums, begonias or petunias for a container garden or hanging basket. They can be purchased in your local garden centre and when mixed with foliage and trailing plants will brighten up any area.

Make sure regular watering is done so they don’t dry out, especially on hot days. It’s also important to start a regular liquid feed for your summer plants, which can be done every two to four weeks.

Grow your own

It is now time to harvest those early potatoes, lettuce, shallots, garlic, onions, radish, salad vegetables and strawberries for refreshing meals over the coming weeks.

Make sure you protect any crops you need with fruit cages or netting to keep pests, squirrels and birds away.

June is also the time to harden off some of your plants that have been in our greenhouse. Bring your tomato plants outside and plant them at the base of prepared supports and canes. Keep pinching out the side shoots of existing vine tomatoes to keep them in order.

You can also continue to sow peas, French beans, sprouting broccoli, carrots, leeks and runner beans directly into the ground. Sow leafy vegetables in succession at fortnightly intervals to give you a tasty crop all through the summer. If you sow courgettes, squash and cucumber before the end of the month, you can still get a good crop before the end of the year.

In your kitchen garden, herbs will have lots of fresh, soft growth this month which is perfect for taking cuttings and adding flavour to your dishes. Early June is a period in which fruit trees are in full activity. Newly-planted trees need special care and regular watering during hot weather.

Maintenance

As the warmer weather increases, so do the plant pests, unfortunately. Vine weevil, aphids and lily beetles will start to invade containers so carefully check your pots and planters both indoors and outdoors for any sign of infestation. There is a wide range of products and natural controls available to control them, so they don’t harm your plants.

Regular weekly mowing of your lawn will keep the grass in great shape but don’t cut it too short as this will result in brown patches when the weather is dry. June is a good month for top dressing and feeding your lawn as the grass will be in full growth.

Weed seedlings are also growing well at this time of year and need regular attention. They thrive on rain and sunshine so now’s the time to start getting on top of them, by spending 10 minutes a day pulling them out before they seed.

Wildlife

The warmer weather can lead to food shortages amongst garden birds, meaning we should still be leaving food out to supplement their diet. We’d recommend a high protein seed mix or peanuts to ensure our garden visitors have energy throughout the summer.

Cast Iron Shallow Acorn | Bird Feeder

In warm weather, it's important to clean feeders and bird baths thoroughly to prevent the spread of diseases. It’s also essential to provide water for both drinking and bathing.

Make the most of your garden growth this month by reading:

1 comment

Thank you for the gardening tips, I really appreciate all your advice, normally I learn through listening to Monty Don’s lovely voice on Gardener’s World.

Carina June 08, 2022

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